Food insecurity affected 10% of U.S. households with kids, leading to risks of anemia, asthma, and poor mental health.
Children with chronic conditions like asthma, intellectual disability, and poor mental health are more likely to face higher food insecurity risk, regardless of their education level, family income, and employment factors (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Chronic Conditions and Food Insecurity in US Children
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The finding was based on Michigan Medicine-led research, published in JAMA Network Open.
“Our study suggests that children with chronic conditions should be prioritized in efforts to reduce the harms of food insecurity,” said lead author Nina Hill, M.D., a postdoctoral research fellow in the Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research Center (CHEAR) and National Clinician Scholars Program at University of Michigan.
Hill and colleagues analyzed nationally representative survey data from 2019 to 2023, which included 34,188 U.S. children ages 2–17.
Analysis of Food Insecurity Trends Over Time
The analysis compared food insecurity rates among children with and without seven chronic conditions included in the annual survey, including asthma, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, developmental delay, intellectual disability, learning disability, and prediabetes/diabetes.
The study also identified a stepwise increase in food insecurity risk: the more chronic conditions a child had, the higher the likelihood their household experienced food insecurity.
The authors also analyzed trends in food insecurity over time and found that food insecurity rates improved for both children with and without chronic conditions around 2021.
Policy’s Impact on Chronic Illness and Food Insecurity
This is likely in response to COVID-19 pandemic related policies like the expanded child tax credit and increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) benefits. However, the data showed that when these policies expired, gains were subsequently lost in 2022 and 2023.
While the study establishes an association between chronic conditions and food insecurity among children, it raises questions about the direction of this relationship.
Authors say more research is needed to understand whether food insecurity contributes to the development or worsening of chronic conditions. Alternatively, it is possible that families of children with chronic conditions experience economic instability due to missed work and increased caregiving responsibilities, ultimately resulting in food insecurity.
Pediatricians Should Assess for Food Insecurity in Children
In the study, food insecurity affected approximately 10 % of U.S. households with children ages 2-17. Health consequences of food insecurity for children include increased risks for asthma, anemia, developmental delays, and poor mental health.
The study’s authors say the findings highlight the need to screen for food insecurity in pediatric care, especially among children with chronic conditions, and to connect families to available resources.
They point to programs like SNAP and WIC that may reduce food insecurity and mitigate its adverse health effects.
Addressing Social Determinants of Health
Health systems and health insurers are also increasingly implementing programs to assist food insecure patients through prescriptions for produce and medically tailored groceries and meals.
Several state Medicaid programs have piloted programs to address health related social needs as well, the most common of which is food insecurity.
“Our findings highlight how critical it is to protect and strengthen national policies to address food insecurity in children,” Hill said. “Now more than ever, our patients need access to effective nutrition support programs.”
Reference:
- Chronic Conditions and Food Insecurity in US Children – (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2839376)
Source-Eurekalert